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Verizon to launch 4G on Nov. 15, phones Nov. 26?

updated 10:55 pm EDT, Tue June 29, 2010

 

Verizon LTE launch plans leak early


Verizon's very early 4G plans may have surfaced tonight. A new but purportedly reliable source to BGR understands the carrier's LTE (Long Term Evolution) network should go live on November 15 and would be followed by a "slew of new devices" on Black Friday, November 26. As expected, only 25 cities would have 4G from the start, but this would be enough to cover 100 million potential customers.

The pricing would mark the end to unlimited smartphone plans and would have different tiers, but Verizon wouldn't take its cue from Sprint's WiMAX service and charge a premium for the faster access; it would be considered the same as 3G.

Starting devices weren't mentioned. Verizon has regularly cautioned that its first hardware would involve modems and routers due to the battery-hungry nature of early LTE devices, but it has also moved up 4G phones to as soon as early 2011. RIM, Samsung and other major phone designers are known to be involved, and unverified rumors so far have hinted at a possible BlackBerry Storm3 with 4G as a core feature. A Verizon iPhone has been rumored for January 2011, but LTE chipsets may not be ready for such a slim design by that point.


By Electronista Staff

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iPhone, industry, Verizon, sprint, BlackBerry, Samsung, Research in Motion, mobile phones, Storm, Apple

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Previous Comments

  1. Paul Huang

    Dedicated MacNNer

    Joined: Sep 1999

    +1
    06/29, 11:04pm | report spam | reply

    AT&T will have to respond

    Everybody wins when/if Verizon ships iPhone 4.

    AT&T would certainly respond with promotion to fend off the competition.
    Verizon...I need not say more.


  1. iphonerulez

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2008

    -1
    06/29, 11:43pm | report spam | reply

    Suppose AT&T offers Apple some other

    concessions to keep iPhone exclusivity and decides to stay with AT&T. I guess that would drive potential iPhone 4 users and analysts into a rage. I'm not sure if Apple is ready to take on a much larger market if Foxconn can't keep up with production as it is. Adding another 8 million Verizon-based iPhones per quarter certainly wouldn't help. If Apple is looking at it at a cost per iPhone basis and AT&T is willing to keep paying premium prices, then maybe things will just stay the way they are.


  1. Lifeisabeach

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2010

    0
    06/30, 12:12am | report spam | reply

    Isn't LTE backwards-compatible with GSM?

    My understanding is that LTE will be backwards compatible with GSM. If so, then the iPhone 4 wouldn't need an LTE chipset - it'll just work (at 3G speeds). Right?


  1. fubar_this

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2006

    +5
    06/30, 12:22am | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Not backwards compatible

    @lifeisabeach, LTE is backwards compatible in that it fails gracefully. However the iPhone 4 has no radio for LTE, and LTE uses different spectrum anyway. The iPhone will need new hardware.

    Also, I don't understand why people think that as soon as 4G comes out, Apple and Verizon will cozy up. Verizon has already stated that their 4G rollout will only match their current 3G coverage by end of 2013. Until then, the phone will have to fall back on CDMA; since the iPhone has no CDMA antenna it would simply not work in many cities. It'd be risky for Verizon to release a phone that suddenly only works in 1/3 the places people currently use their phones (the ads on network coverage would become even more confusing).


  1. facebook_Justin

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Jun 2010

    -6
    06/30, 01:32am | report spam | reply

    comment title

    As long as iPhone 4 isn't going to CDMA, then I'm happy. Verizon made a good choice switching from the crappy and proprietary standard CDMA to LTE, which is GSM based. I hope to see the iPhone on them, and many other networks in the USA and around the world that chose the standard. As for stupid companies that chose WiMAX, which is based on CDMA, I hope to see them fail miserably.


  1. ZinkDifferent

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2005

    -2
    06/30, 07:16am | report spam | reply

    Verizon phone...

    Not before 2012, at the earliest.

    The stupid rumors will undoubtedly persist, though, as long as there are stupid people to reprint them.


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +5
    06/30, 09:42am | report spam | reply

    @justin

    As long as iPhone 4 isn't going to CDMA, then I'm happy.

    Why? Do you have a bet with friends that it won't have CDMA? Because, besides that, what is the point of being 'happy' an iPhone can't use an entire network?

    And what will you do if there is a CDMA iPhone? Start crying? Protesting at apple stores?

    Verizon made a good choice switching from the crappy and proprietary standard CDMA to LTE, which is GSM based.

    Sorry, but CDMA, LTE, and GSM are all proprietary. And considering all the complaints and jokes about the iPhone on ATT's network, it is hard to say that GSM, at least on ATT's network, is not crappy.

    I hope to see the iPhone on them, and many other networks in the USA and around the world that chose the standard. As for stupid companies that chose WiMAX, which is based on CDMA, I hope to see them fail miserably.

    Sounds like someone who just has hatred for some reason. Why did Sprint choose WiMax? Because it was available when they were ready to move forward. LTE was not. And, BTW, Sprint has said their network will upgrade to LTE easily in the future, so they actually are future-proofing their networks, which is more than what you can say about Verizon or ATT.


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    06/30, 12:53pm | report spam | reply

    CDMA

    Oh, and recall that Voice over LTE won't be available for another year or two. So 4G will not work for an iPhone if Apple refuses to add CDMA for some reason. Though maybe next June they'll add GSM+ with hopes for LTE in a year or two later (can't add it sooner, since we know the iPhone is stuck on a one year cycle - can you imagine the hue and cry if Apple released a new iPhone in December! iPhone 4 users would be up in arms!)


  1. macmouse42

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2010

    +2
    06/30, 09:27pm | report spam | reply

    Yes, backwards compatible with BOTH

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution

    "LTE will also support seamless passing to cell towers with older network technology such as GSM, cdmaOne, W-CDMA (UMTS), and CDMA2000. "

    Hopefully LTE will finally bring some sanity to US cell phone systems by everyone switching over to one standard.


  1. macmouse42

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2010

    -1
    06/30, 09:28pm | report spam | reply

    Yes, backwards compatiable with both!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution

    "LTE will also support seamless passing to cell towers with older network technology such as GSM, cdmaOne, W-CDMA (UMTS), and CDMA2000. "
    GSM/WCDMA=ATT and T-mobile
    CDMA2000=Sprint and Verizon

    Hopefully LTE will finally bring some sanity to US cell phone systems by everyone switching over to one standard.


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